KOSOVO INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY CHANGE AND R P

FINAL REPORT TO THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

KOSOVO INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY CHANGE AND RECONCILIATION PROGRAM

USAID GRANT NUMBER 167-G-00-06-00104-00 PROJECT DATES: AUGUST 23, 2006 – AUGUST 22, 2007

SUBMITTED BY PARTNERS FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE

2121 K Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20037 +1-202-942-2166

www.partnersglobal.org

Final Report: Kosovo Inclusive Community Change and Reconciliation Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................1

ACTIVITIES ....................................................................................................................... 2

A. MOBILIZING COMMUNITY & MUNICIPALITY PARTICIPATION ....................................... 2

B. BUILDING CAPACITY................................................................................................................... 3

C. COMMUNITY CONFLICT ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.......................... 4

D. SMALL GRANT PROJECTS........................................................................................................... 5

E. FINAL CONFERENCE .................................................................................................................. 9

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND RESULTS .................................10

CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................16

APPENDIX A: SMALL GRANT APPLICATION INFORMATION.............................18


SUMMARY The year-long Kosovo Inclusive Community Change and Reconciliation (KICCR) Program, implemented by the U.S.-based international non-profit organization Partners for Democratic Change (Partners) and the Kosovo NGO Partners-Kosova Center for Conflict Management (Partners-Kosova or PK), built the capacity of community stakeholders to diagnose unresolved conflicts in their communities and implement participatory interethnic projects to solve these issues. In four target communities (Bablak/Babljak, Lipjan/Lipljan, Rahovec/Orahovac, and Viti/Vitina), community working groups led by teams of PK-trained facilitators developed project ideas funded by a $30,000 small grants fund. One project was implemented in each target community, during which KICCR Program participants applied new skills in conflict management, facilitation, communication, and project planning. Using Partners’ Inclusive Community Change methodology, multiethnic community Facilitator Teams composed of five to six people designed community projects with the potential for concrete impact on the root causes of ethnic conflict in their municipalities. The projects supported ethnic reconciliation through initiatives to increase access to education for all communities, promote economic development and cooperation, improve dialogue between municipal officials and village leaders, and encourage more participatory municipal budgeting approaches. The KICCR methodology resulted in small grant projects that were uniquely tailored to the needs of the communities in each of the municipalities. Because the projects were envisioned and implemented by multiethnic groups of local citizens with the support and participation of the municipality, the results of the projects are sustainable and will provide benefits for the participating communities for many years to come. At only one year in length, the primary challenge of the KICCR Program was achieving concrete results in a short period of time. This was made especially difficult by the political environment in Kosovo. With the lack of a final status solution, multiethnic programs face nervous, uncooperative minority communities, and divides within ethnic groups between those who agree to participate and those who choose to boycott such programs. Despite difficult circumstances, the KICCR Program achieved notable successes in promoting better cooperation between ethnic communities at the local level, meeting most of its objectives and targets. Key Results:

− Following training in Partners’ Inclusive Community Change methodology, 23 community facilitators organized into four multiethnic Facilitation Teams successfully applied their new skills by assessing sources of conflict in their communities and facilitating challenging interethnic community development projects.

− The community facilitators report that their intensive cooperation on this project has developed relations of trust that will enable them to continue working together towards ethnic reconciliation long past the end of the project

− In Bablak/Babljak, KICCR built a community library guided by a multiethnic Library Steering Group. The library is used by all communities in the Bablak/Babljak area, especially young people, for training courses, lectures and other educational activities.

− In Lipjan/Lipljan, KICCR resulted in more citizen participation in the municipal budgeting process. Five new infrastructure development projects were added to the 2008 budget based

Partners for Democratic Change 1


on recommendations from project participants, including a €125,000 road repair project in an Ashkali village.

− In Rahovec/Orahovac, KICCR strengthened the first multiethnic Agricultural Cooperative in the municipality, enabling them to increase membership, offer improved services and advice to members, and lay the groundwork for producing joint products.

− In Viti/Vitina, KICCR resulted in the revitalization of 20 Village Councils, an informal local democratic structure that ensures the concerns of villagers of all ethnicities are effectively represented in local government decision-making.

− KICCR engaged Kosovan citizens of all ethnicities in productive cooperation that demonstrated the concrete benefits of working together to create a better quality of life and more hopeful future for everyone in the participating communities.

ACTIVITIES A. Mobilizing Community & Municipality Participation In the first months of the program Partners and PK staff members visited each of the four target communities to promote the KICCR program and to meet with potential program participants. During meetings with municipal officials and other relevant community stakeholders, Partners and PK explained the goals and objectives of the program and asked for support from the municipality. The KICCR team also identified and met with potential participants from all sectors as part of the effort to recruit a team of facilitators in each. Potential community facilitators submitted applications to Partners and PK and were chosen following a review of the applications and interviews with candidates. This process was more elaborate than initially envisioned in the project proposal, but definitely paid off as the success of the whole program hinged on the quality and commitment of the community facilitators. In total, 23 facilitators were chosen (five in Viti/Vitina, six in each of the other three communities) based on their interest in consensus-based problem-solving, their past leadership experience and their commitment to working on a multiethnic project. The facilitators, 10 Serb and 13 Albanian, came from diverse backgrounds and professions, from pensioners to community police service members, municipal officials to village leaders. In the future, Partners and PK would select at least one member of an NGO for each group. Partners found that Facilitator Teams lacking members with experience dealing with donors, proposal development and/or community development had a much more difficult time conceptualizing the goals and objectives of the program and developing projects that met program criteria. However, by the end of the program, nearly all of the 23 selected facilitators showed significant improvement in a number of skills including project development (see the Facilitator Skill Evaluation below) . KICCR’s methodology involved spending a significant effort to build support for the project within the municipal government in each of the four municipalities. The success of this strategy was evidenced by the participation of municipal officials as members of Facilitation Teams and Working Groups and by local government cost-share contributions to the community development projects. This ensured smoother implementation of the whole program, and will also ensure the sustainability of the project’s results, as the capacity to engage in interethnic cooperative planning is now embedded within the participating municipalities.



B. Building Capacity In preparation for training the selected community facilitators, Partners-Kosova traveled to Bulgaria in late November 2006 to participate in a workshop hosted by Partners Bulgaria Foundation.1 Partners-Bulgaria has extensive experience managing ethnic integration programs, having run the USAID-funded “Ethnic Integration Program” between 2000 and 2006. The meeting between PK and Partners-Bulgaria was an excellent opportunity for the two staffs to share experiences and lessons learned. PK was able to visit communities around the country where Partners-Bulgaria had initiated interethnic cooperative planning processes. Partners-Bulgaria trainers also held seminars covering such topics as situation analysis, project success indicator evaluation, cooperative planning, budgeting, and project planning. Upon return to Kosovo, PDC and PK designed the customized training program for KICCR Facilitator Team members. The six-day training seminar was held over the course of two weeks in mid-December in Pristina. Experienced trainers from Partners-Kosova helped participants learn practical skills and techniques to encourage cooperation, solve problems, manage conflicts, and facilitate multi-stakeholder consensus-driven planning processes. A more detailed analysis of participant skill development can be found in the Program Objectives and Results section of this report. The twenty-three Facilitator Team members from the four target communities, both Serb and Albanian, were trained in Serbian and Albanian. A breakdown of trainee demographics can be found later in this report. During the first training session, held between December 11 and 13, PK trainers covered basic communication, conflict management and facilitation techniques. Topics covered included consensus building, breaking deadlocks, mediating to an agreement, and positive communication skills. A second training session was held between December 18 and 21 and focused primarily on the Partners’ Inclusive Community Change and Mobilization (ICCM) Model. The ICCM methodology was designed by Partners to provide participants with the tools necessary to mobilize diverse stakeholders, resolve potential conflicts and peacefully achieve consensus on community issues. The model integrates tolerance and conflict mediation techniques into a community planning process focused on addressing concrete community needs and has been applied by Partners in diverse settings such as Bulgaria and Iraq, among others. In addition to the ICCM methodology, PK trainers also covered project development, evaluation and reporting skills during the second training session. The results of participants’ evaluation of the training program can be found later in this report. KICCR’s investment in building Kosovo’s human capital in these four previously underserved municipalities will yield long-term benefits in the communities beyond the end of the project. Radio Television Kosova (RTK) reporters covered the training. The RTK report emphasized the positive results of interethnic interaction and the work of the multiethnic Facilitator Teams. In

1 Partners Bulgaria, like Partners-Kosova, is a member of the Partners for Democratic Change International (PDCI) network of 15 Centers. The Centers operate independently, developing skills and refining techniques based on each country’s unique political and cultural context. But all members of the PDCI network share Partners’ mission of advancing civil society and promoting a culture of peaceful change management around the globe. Members of the network frequently share information and expertise.



addition, USAID Regional Program Officer Heather Goldman and USAID/Kosovo Program Officer Perihan Ymeri visited trainees and discussed their work and the issues affecting their communities. C. Community Conflict Assessment and Project Development Following trainings, the Facilitator Teams returned to their communities to conduct stakeholder analysis and conflict assessments. After holding meetings with municipal officials, NGO representatives, youth, police, and village councils, Facilitator Teams identified the main sources of conflict in their communities in preparation for convening meetings of larger working groups to discuss the conflict issues and develop solutions:

• In Bablak/Babljak the Facilitator Team determined that the lack of education and employment opportunities for youth, particularly Serb youth, was the main barrier to ethnic reconciliation and the return of more displaced Serbs to the village. As education and extracurricular activities are limited in Bablak/Babljak, most young people eventually decide to migrate to larger cities and towns. As a result, the sustainability of a multiethnic Bablak/Babljak is in doubt.

• Originally the Lipjan/Lipljan Facilitator Team identified the lack of communication between ethnic groups, particularly in determining community development priorities, as the main source of conflict in the municipality. Upon suggestions from Partners and PK to think more concretely, the Lipjan/Lipljan group narrowed their focus to the lack of transparency and public discussion of the municipal budgeting process, which creates tension and suspicion between ethnic groups.

• The Rahovec/Orahovac group determined that improved ethnic integration depends heavily on economic development in the municipality. Without more jobs and business opportunities, Serb residents will remain segregated and dependent on parallel institutions. The economy in Rahovec/Orahovac consists largely of agriculture, which is in a state of transition due to the ongoing process of privatizing the 20 former collective farms, which cover approximately 65 percent of the arable land.

• Viti/Vitina Facilitator Team members felt that communication between villagers and the municipal government was inadequate. This negatively impacts interethnic relations there because many of the municipality’s minority citizens live in surrounding villages. Village Councils, despite efforts to legitimize their role within municipal decision-making structures, are not functional in Viti/Vitina. When functional, the councils facilitate dialogue between citizens, civil society and government and ensure that villagers have a voice in decision-making processes. Formalizing the role of the Village Councils and building their capacity to effectively advocate on behalf of their villages was seen as a major priority to improve interethnic relations in Viti/Vitina.

From January to April 2007, at least five working group meetings were held in each KICCR target municipality to generate solutions addressing these conflicts, and build consensus around development projects in each community. The Facilitator Teams led these discussions, with assistance from PK, during which 83 participants across the four communities representing various ethnic groups and institutions discussed their ideas and reached agreements on community project designs.



D. Small Grant Projects Four community project proposals, one from each target community, were submitted in Spring 2007; these represented the work of the community Facilitator Teams and working groups. Facilitator Teams led project design efforts, including coordinating changes and making revisions based on the recommendations of Partners and PK. The basic selection criteria for community small grant projects was that each worked towards resolving local sources of interethnic conflict and brought benefit to the wider community (i.e. beyond direct project participants). The establishment of community groups, organizations, and training programs focused on building community support for ethnic collaboration was encouraged. Partners also required that each community demonstrate at least $1,000 in cash or in-kind contributions from the municipality or other non-U.S. government sources and that the project be coordinated by a legally incorporated entity, such as a local NGO or association.2 In one case, Lipjan/Lipljan, the original project proposal was not accepted because Partners did not feel that the proposal effectively demonstrated how activities would benefit the wider Lipjan/Lipljan community. A summary of completed small grants projects can be found below: Bablak/Babljak Project Description: To create more free-time and educational activities for both majority and minority youth in Bablak/Babljak and the surrounding villages, the Facilitator Team developed the $9,363 “Education for Everybody” project to create a new community library. Leading this process was a multiethnic Library Steering Committee, composed of 6 Serbs and 6 Albanians, which was responsible for procuring supplies, determining library priorities (such as what books to acquire), and seeking new funding. KICCR funds supported small repairs to an old school building in Bablak/Babljak (including electrical work, paint, and new carpet), community education courses on topics such as the environment, computer and English courses for children and the purchase of basic equipment such as three computer workstations. The project was overseen with help from the NGO Etika, located in Ferizaj/Urosevac, and the Facilitation Team. Activities and Results: Once the project was approved, the Library Steering Committee immediately began making initial repairs to the old school building (helped by a small donation from the OSCE), acquiring equipment and organizing educational courses and lectures. The new library is situated in the old Bablak/Babljak primary school building and, despite needing more repairs, is in suitable condition to host classes and lectures and set up the library collection. Three computer workstations were purchased and hooked up to the Internet. Twenty youth, including 18 Albanians and 2 Serbs, participated in the computer training courses, which were expanded in the summer of 2007 to include English instruction. In addition, U.S. KFOR donated used bookshelves and books to the Bablak/Babljak library, which currently has over 500 books. Three lectures were held involving 45 people, including one on the environment for women and youth. As a result of this lecture, a multiethnic children’s theater group was formed (not originally planned as part of the project). The group put on presentations about respecting the environment 2 This requirement was necessary to comply with USAID rules prohibiting grants to individuals, and because in our experience this ensures greater transparency in management of the small grants money. The sub-grantee organizations were responsible for receiving and distributing funds and helped with financial and narrative reporting.



and has submitted project proposals to funders to create more green space in Bablak/Babljak, including a park in front of the library. The group also organized a community cleanup day involving village youth to clean the new schoolyard. As a result of the project, the Facilitator Team observed improved relations between the Albanian and Serbian community in Bablak/Babljak. The Serb community initially resisted the “Education for Everybody” project and the KICCR program but showed greater interest once the project was up and running. Serb youth participated in courses, lectures and other library events. Challenges: The Serb community living in villages near Bablak/Babljak was initially uncooperative. Despite the good efforts of Serb members of the Facilitator Team, these villagers effectively boycotted the KICCR program. In addition, one Facilitator Team member who was also a village leader was ousted from his position. PK was able to meet with village leaders during a village council meeting and smooth over the issue. As the “Education for Everybody” project gathered steam, greater numbers of Serbs began to participate. By the end of the program, the Serb villagers showed support and appreciation for the new library and participated in events there. Future Plans: The Bondsteel U.S. KFOR base church has agreed to donate €10,500 to complete the remaining repairs to the old school building. Once approval is received from the church headquarters in Germany, the Bablak/Babljak Library Steering Committee will guide further repairs, including electrical work, painting and new doors and windows. The Library is an important shared community resource which will provide benefits to all communities in and around Bablak/Babljak for many years to come. Lipjan/Lipljan Project Description: The Facilitator Team felt that a lack of dialogue between the municipality and Lipjan/Lipljan citizens on municipal development projects was a major obstacle to greater ethnic integration. More specifically, the Facilitator Team found that community members felt that the municipal budgeting process was not transparent enough. As a result, with assistance from Partners and PK the Lipjan/Lipljan team developed the $2,038 “Promoting Communication and Reconciliation in Lipjan/Lipljan,” coordinated by the NGO Flaka. A three-day participatory budgeting workshop was held in late July 2007 to inform citizens about the municipality’s budgeting process and to develop a framework for greater public participation in this process. This promoted greater communication between stakeholders, greater oversight by civil society organizations, and greater input from minority communities in Lipjan/Lipljan. Activities and Results: The three-day conference was attended by 169 people and involved municipal government officials, the municipal Department for Budget and Finance, Village Council members, NGOs, the Local Office for Minority Returns, business leaders, and representatives from Lipjan/Lipljan’s Roma, Serbian, Ashkali and Turkish communities. During the workshop, participants reviewed the 2008 fiscal year budget, heard from the municipal budgeting department about the budgeting process, and discussed funding priorities. Village representatives (two from each village in Lipjan/Lipljan municipality) and business leaders were able to present their priorities and get feedback from the budgeting department. Discussions also focused on increasing citizen, business and civil society participation in the municipal budgeting process. A participatory budgeting expert gave a presentation. As a result of the conference, 5 new infrastructure development projects



were added to the 2008 budget based on recommendations from participants, including a €125,000 road repair project in an Ashkali village. When the Municipality publicly announced the second round of Municipal Budget presentations, they explicitly mentioned the participatory budgeting work of the KICCR Facilitation Team. Challenges: The Lipjan/Lipljan Facilitator Team originally proposed a project to hold English language courses for a multiethnic group, who would also be trained in project proposal writing and would work on developing proposals for infrastructure development projects in Lipjan/Lipljan. Partners did not accept this original idea because it felt the community did not effectively demonstrate how the project would benefit the wider community and address sources of community conflict. During a meeting with the community in May 2007, Partners and PK program managers encouraged the Facilitator Team to re-focus their ideas, and helped the Lipjan/Lipljan group work through some new ideas. As a result, the community resubmitted their proposal, which was approved. However, due to the delays caused by the project redesign, the Facilitation Team had very little time to prepare for and organize the workshops. Future Plans: The Facilitator Team will continue to meet and has informally discussed plans to continue to work on infrastructure development projects in their community. The group plans to use the skills they learned during PK trainings, including project development, in future work.

Rahovec/Orahovac Project Description: The “Planting the Seeds for a Better Future” project provided $9,469 to the multiethnic Agrokop Agricultural Cooperative in support of efforts to increase its multiethnic membership, teach Rahovec/Orahovac farmers about good farming techniques and the privatization process, and encourage ethnic integration through the establishment of economic links between farmers of different ethnicities. The primary activity undertaken as part of the project was a study tour to Macedonia for Agrokop members. Macedonia recently underwent a similar agriculture industry privatization, which was designed to encourage private investment and conform to European Union economic standards. Following the study tour, Agrokop members held training seminars for prospective members and created manuals and brochures on good farming practices. Activities and Results: The study tour to Macedonia took place in mid-May, and was attended by 50 Serb and Albanian farmers. Participants were encouraged to put aside ethnic differences and learn from each other through shared stories and experiences. During the tour, Agrokop members met with farmers and vintners and toured the Tikvesh winery in Negotino, one of the largest in Europe. Workers at Tikvesh described the privatization process in Macedonia, the rights of Macedonian agricultural associations and shared techniques for growing and collecting grapes. During visits with other cooperatives, including the first winemaking-focused agricultural cooperative in Negotino, tour participants learned about managing a cooperative, developing member services and increasing membership. During June, Agrokop members held a series of seminars for farmers in Rahovec/Orahovac to share the lessons learned from the study tour to Macedonia. Topics included wine grape and fruit cultivation, and were held in the field to allow trainers to demonstrate using hands-on approaches. All trainings held by Agrokop during the course of the project included farmers from various ethnic groups. Adequate translation was provided for all training sessions.



The summer months of 2007 were afflicted by drought. In July, Agrokop members surveyed area farmers and constantly monitored one another’s land to check conditions and monitor the effects of the water shortage. Additional training seminars were also held by Agrokop officers related to vineyard maintenance. In the final weeks of the project, Agrokop also produced two brochures about good farming techniques, vegetable production, and pest control. Members reported that these efforts resulted in their crops being less negatively affected than they would have been. When the agricultural association formed in the summer of 2006, it was the first of its kind in Rahovec/Orahovac. The small grant project supported the development of this multiethnic organization and contributed to improved relations between Serb and Albanians in Rahovec/Orahovac by leveraging their shared interest in economic development. The membership of the cooperative increased from 25 to 35 (five Serbs and five Albanians) and project activities had wide impact in the community through trainings and the study tour. Future Plans: The cooperative has submitted proposals to the United Nations, the Czech government and the OSCE about potential support for new projects. Agrokop has also signed a contract to purchase new land for members to use. The land has not been tilled in many years, but it should provide cooperative members with new sources of income and the basis for producing joint products. On September 7, 2007, Agrokop members participated in the Rahovec/Orahovac Vine Festival, the very first time that farmers from the Serbian community attended a community event of that kind since before 1999. At the festival, Agrokop presented their products and all the visitors had a chance to talk directly with Agrokop members (Albanian and Serbian). This festival was attended by Mr.Fatmir Sejdiu, President of Kosovo, who mentioned the participation of the Serbian community in his keynote address. Viti/Vitina Project Description: Village Councils, an informal mechanism for ensuring that isolated villages around Viti/Vitina have an effective voice at the municipal level, were recognized and mandated by the Viti/Vitina Municipal Assembly in 2003. A framework for establishing councils, selecting members and recognizing their role in the municipality was established, but in reality the councils were ineffective, and in some cases existed only on paper. The Viti/Vitina working group proposed a project to advocate for the institutionalization of the Village Councils and to build the capacity of existing councilors to effectively act on behalf of their village constituents. As part of the “Citizen: Decision-making Factor” project in Viti/Vitina, a multiethnic Citizen Participation Group (CPG) was formed and trained in advocacy, conflict management, English, and project development skills. Facilitator Team members led the trainings (except English) with assistance from PK. A two-day workshop was also held in Brezovica as a teambuilding exercise and to prepare for the advocacy campaign. Activities and Results: A twenty-person Citizen Participation Group was formed which included 11 Albanians and nine Serbs. The group included representatives from municipal institutions, Village



Councils, and NGOs, as well as youth and women. The CPG is the first multiethnic citizens group formed in Viti/Vitina since 1999. In the initial project period, the CPG was trained in a variety of skills, such as project development, advocacy and English. The Facilitator Team members were able to apply the skills learned during KICCR trainings to develop training seminars for the CPG. In the first month of the program a teambuilding and strategic planning workshop was held in Brezovica. The retreat included training in conflict assessment and project development. In addition, CPG members had an opportunity to build closer relationships and to plan their advocacy campaign. During the subsequent months, the CPG participated in English language trainings, held by the Cambridge School, and began meeting with key stakeholders involved in setting up the roles and responsibilities of the Village Councils. During meetings with the Municipal President, Chief Executive Officer, municipal coordinator and six Village Councils from Viti/Vitina, the CPG was able to gather information and communicate the goals and objectives of the project. The advocacy campaign was still underway by the time the KICCR project ended, but the CPG was well-prepared to continue their advocacy efforts until they achieved their objectives. Challenges: One member of the Viti/Vitina Facilitator Team was asked to leave the group when his connections to a political party were discovered. His replacement, another Serb man who worked as a journalist, also had to leave to group due to a political dispute with the former Facilitator Team member (the former Facilitator felt the new member’s radio station unfairly criticized the political party his family was associated with). Had the journalist not left the KICCR program, the former Facilitator threatened to encourage Serbs in Viti/Vitina to boycott the project. Members of the Viti/Vitina Facilitator Team did an excellent job mediating the dispute and the problem was solved when the journalist voluntarily left the group. The case highlights the challenges of running ethnic integration programs in Kosovo at this time. Future Plans: The CPG plans to continue to work on the issue of citizen participation and will continue to advocate for a formalized role for the Village Councils. In October 2007, the coordinating NGO “Elita” organized training in Conflict Resolution for 20 participants from each village council, including three locations that are inhabited by Serbian community. The aim of this training was to empower the local leaders to be active participants in the effort to revitalize the village councils. E. Final Conference A one-day final program conference was held in mid-August 2007 to evaluate the KICCR program and allow program participants to share experiences and lessons learned and discuss next steps. Over forty people from international organizations and Kosovan institutions attended, including the Office of the Prime Minister, municipal governments, the OSCE, the Dutch government, KFOR, Partners, PK, and USAID. During a morning session, community project participants presented results from their small grant projects and discussed best practices at the community level. PK-facilitated group discussions gave the community groups an opportunity to hone their messages and reflect further on the results and challenges of their projects. An afternoon session involving a larger group, including international government, nongovernmental, Kosovan central government



representatives, and all conference participants discussed the lessons learned from the KICCR Program and the next steps for ethnic integration programs in Kosovo.



PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND RESULTS Objective 1: Local leaders are capable of managing inclusive community change processes and mediating multi-party disputes. Target: Sixteen community facilitators demonstrate improved competence in conflict management, mediation, dialogue facilitation, and participatory planning by the end of the program. Results: Twenty-three community facilitators successfully completed trainings in conflict management, mediation, dialogue facilitation and cooperative planning skills. Based on participant skill evaluations completed by PK, 19 of the 23 trained facilitators demonstrated improved competence in these skills and techniques during work on the community projects. Data:

Trainee Demographics

GENDER

ETHNICITY

AGE

18

5

Men W omen

13

10

Albanian Serbian

14

9

< 35 > 35

Post-training Participant Survey Average scores from training participant surveys. A ‘1’ score indicates the respondent strongly disagrees with the statement. A ‘5’ score indicates the respondent strongly agrees.

STATEMENT SCORE

My skill level qualified me to participate in this training program. 4.89

The facilities and equipment were favorable to learning. 4.66

The organizer was supportive and attentive to my needs. 4.83

The program provided the appropriate balance of training and free time. 4.37

The training utilized effective methodologies and materials for me to learn. 4.66

I will utilize the materials following the training. 4.72

I had enough time to learn the subject matter covered in the training. 4.38

I clearly understood the training program objectives. 4.66

The training program met all of its stated objectives. 4.60



The training content responded and was relevant to my needs. 4.44

Trainers demonstrated a thorough knowledge and understanding of topics. 4.66

Trainers stimulated thinking and discussions, offering opportunities for dialogue and exchange. 4.45

Trainers adapted materials to address my individual situation and challenges. 4.45

My knowledge and/or skills improved as a result of the program. 4.72

The knowledge and/or skills gained through the program are directly applicable to my work. 4.76

Overall, I was satisfied with the training program. 4.72

I wish I could participate in Partners-Kosova’s future trainings. 4.82

The training organization (i.e. transportation, coffee breaks, translation) was satisfactory. 4.82

The group of participants was diverse. 4.66

The training has contributed to collaboration between communities. 4.72

Facilitator Skill Evaluation FACILITATOR PAST EXPERIENCE PRE-TRAINING SKILL EVALUATION * POST-TRAINING SKILL EVALUATION

COOP. PLANNING AND FACILITATION

PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

IMPROVED (↑); NO CHANGE (-)

SKILL SHOWN WHILE WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES

Bablak/Babljak Osman Cokli Project development

and communication training

Skilled Skilled ↑

Developed good facilitation skills during the course of the program and was especially good at networking with donors.

Burim Bajrami No training Unskilled Unskilled ↑

Showed marked improvement in communication and planning skills. Was particularly good at engaging with youth.

Radovan Petrovic

No training Unskilled Unskilled --- Showed no improvement in skills and was not active in program activities beyond training.

Vesna Denic No training Unskilled Unskilled --- Facilitation skills did not improve Rajko Denic Project development

and communication training

Limited skill Limited skill ↑

Continued to show improvements in facilitation and communication skills. Was very active in engaging with the Serb community and networking with donors.

Voja Petrovic No training Unskilled Unskilled --- Did not actively participate in post-training activities.

Lipjan/Lipljan Naser Gashi Conflict resolution

training Unskilled Limited Skill

↑ Exhibited good understanding of cooperative planning and facilitation skills. Very active in developing the community project.

Divna Filipovic No training Unskilled Unskilled ↑

Good networking skills. Not active in project development, but overall showed improvement in key skills.

Lidija Jovanovic Human rights and communication training

Limited skill Unskilled ↑

Exhibited good understanding of training topics and put these skills to use in working with the municipality on developing the project.

Esad Xhymshiti No training Unskilled Unskilled ↑

Improved understanding of skills, particularly facilitation.

Ardita Mustafa No training Unskilled Unskilled ↑

Showed particular progress in facilitation skills following trainings.

Rahovec/Orahovac



Fadil Sokoli Conflict resolution training

Skilled Limited skill ↑

Actively engaged in project development and communications with project participants.

Slavisa Kolasinac

Conflict resolution training

Skilled Limited skill ↑

Active engagement with the community. Showed good cooperative planning skills.

Beqir Haxhijaha No training Unskilled Unskilled ↑ Showed good understanding of skills and application of training topics to community project.

Marian Saric Conflict resolution training

Limited skill Limited skill ↑

Excellent project development and management skills shown during the program. Very active in engaging with community stakeholders during planning process and subsequently.

Qamil Cena Project proposal writing and communication training

Skilled Skilled ↑ Demonstrated strong understanding of project development skills.

Sylejman Bala No training Limited skill Unskilled ↑ Applied skills learned during training to project development.

Viti/Vitina Mustafe Shabani

Advocacy training Skilled Skilled ↑

Good understanding of skills demonstrated through active participation in project development and coordination. Primary coordinator between PK and the NGO Etika.

Ibrahim Shabani

Facilitation training Skilled Very Skilled ↑

Key person during all stages of the project, from community facilitation to project development to project coordination. Led training seminars in conflict management.

Ismet Sejdiu No training Limited skill Limited skill ↑ Exhibited good understanding of facilitation skills.

Bojan Krcmarevic

No training Unskilled Limited skill --- Withdrew from the project after trainings.

Radica Cvetkoviq

Some training Limited skill Limited skill ↑

Mediated dispute between Facilitator Team member and community. Exhibited good understanding of training skills. Led training as part of community project.



Objective 2: Consensus agreements reached by working groups to resolve disputes blocking development and integration. Target: Four community working groups use the inclusive community change process to discuss and build consensus around steps to resolve community problems affecting interethnic relations. Working groups are composed of at least 25 people representing a cross-section of community stakeholders, including women, youth, and different ethnic groups.

Results: Four community working groups were convened, with a total of 83 members. The ethnicity of working group members is broken down in the graph to the right. At least five working group meetings were held in each target municipality, resulting in consensus on one interethnic development project in each community. In Lipjan/Lipljan, the original project proposal was not accepted by Partners. Following discussions between Partners, PK and the Lipjan/Lipljan Facilitator Team, a new project was approved and implemented.

WORKING GROUP ETHNIC COMPOSITION

4530

5 3

Albanian Serbian Roma Other

Objective 3: Community reconciliation projects provide concrete improvements in interethnic cooperation. Partners and PK worked with each community group to define specific indicators of success for the community development project in all four target communities. Community working groups proposed indicators during the drafting stage of their community projects and Partners responded with suggestions to improve the indicators and help realistically measure and assess project outcomes. The table below summarizes the targets and how each project fulfilled them. Bablak/Babljak

TARGET RESULTS

One multiethnic Library Steering Committee formed to guide the development of the Bablak/Babljak community library.

A 12-person Library Steering Committee was formed and was active throughout the project. The group was composed of six Albanians and six Serbs. The group will continue to operate in the future.

At least 50 % of youth (representing approximately 380 boys and girls) from the nine villages near Bablak/Babljak visit the library and/or participate in activities at the facility.

Total facility usage numbers were not available, but the Library has become a valuable and well-used community gathering space. In addition to the 65 people who attended courses and lectures, the Library has also been used for: 1. Village gatherings 2. Village Council meetings 3. Community meetings 4. Bablak/Babljak village women coordination meetings 5. Other village gatherings



At least three lectures held for a minimum of 20 women and youth.

Three lectures were held involving a total of 45 people, consisting mostly of women and youth.

A computer and internet course held for 12 youth. Twenty youth, two Serbs and 18 Albanians, participated in computer and English courses for 2-4 hours a day 3-4 days per week during the project period. The courses will continue.

At least 500 books donated to the library. The Library Steering Committee collected over 500 books and also received a donation of bookshelves.

At least one story published in a local newspaper and one story broadcast on a local TV station about the project.

Daily newspaper “Zeri” wrote an article on project developments in village of Bablak/ Babljak, local radio station “Liria” in Ferizaj/ Urosevac reported regularly on project developments.

Lipjan/Lipljan

TARGET RESULTS

At least 150 participants in the workshop, including at least 25 Serbs and 25 members of other ethnic minorities, 10 businesses and 15 women.

The workshop was attended by 169 people: Albanian 150 Serbian 9 RAE (Roma, Ashkalia, Egyptian) 10 Gender: 12 women ( 9 Albanian, 3 Serbian), 157 men Local private businesses: 5

The development of one action plan for participatory budgeting in the municipality.

An action plan was created and handed over to municipality authorities

At least one story published in a local newspaper and one story broadcast on a local TV station about the project.

There was one article in Koha Ditore on Tuesday, July 25th 2007

Rahovec/Orahovac

TARGET RESULTS

Agrokop membership increases from 25 to 50 members. New members include at least 3 Serbs and 2 women-owned farms.

Agricultural Association membership increased from 25 to 35 during the course of the project. The new members included 5 Serbs and 5 Albanians. Of those, one was a woman-owned farm. New members are actively being recruited

Increased quality and quantity of members’ wine and/or vegetable production, resulting in a 30 percent increase in member’s family income.

Agrokop members reported increased quality and quantity, despite drought conditions, in part due to the exchanging of farming techniques between one another and the lessons learned during the trip to Macedonia. The increased number of Agrokop members also contributed to increased yield. However, a specific figure for percentage increase in profit could not be ascertained.

The development of at least one new joint product to be marketed and sold by Agrokop.

During the course of the program Agrokop did not have time to develop a new joint product. However, towards the end of the program, cooperative members were working on a joint wine product. The cooperative has



purchased land to be used in the next planting season for joint products.

Increased awareness in the municipality of the benefits of agricultural cooperatives as measured by the number of brochures distributed.

Five hundred brochures about good farming techniques were developed and distributed during the annual Rahovec/Orahovac wine festival in September. In addition, four seminars were held to introduce area farmers to the cooperative and to teach them about new farming techniques.

At least one story published in a local newspaper and one radio broadcast featuring the activities of Agrokop.

Agrokop was featured in numerous articles and broadcasts, including Koha Ditore, Studio B, ZDF, TV OSBE, Radio Start, and Radio Fokus.

Viti/Vitina

TARGET RESULTS

The participation of at least 20 people in training courses, including at least 10 youth (under the age of 35), 9 Serbs and/or other ethnic minorities, 5 women and 5 municipal workers.

Twenty people, including 11 Albanian and nine Serb participants. Of the 20, seven were women and seven were from municipal institutions.

The establishment of one multiethnic Citizen Participation Group.

One Citizen Participation Group composed of 20 members was formed.

Village Council members from 20 locations participated in a joint training in Conflict Resolution organized by NGO “Elita” in October 2008. The aim of this training was to empower the council members to begin the process of reestablishing their village councils.

The reestablishment of at least 10 of the 35 Village councils in Viti/Vitina. A council will be considered reestablished if it has met at least once and has scheduled future meetings.

Objective 4: Long-lasting cooperative relationships between majority and minority communities and between government and civil society are built. Target: Each community project raises cost share contributions equal to a minimum of 10 percent of the value of their project from government and non-governmental sources. Results: Overall, the four communities raised a total of $9,255 representing a cost share contribution equal to 30.61 percent of the value of the projects. All four communities met the 10 percent minimum cost share value target. Data:

BABLAK/BABLJAK LIPJAN/LIPLJAN RAHOVEC/ORAHOVAC VITI/VITINA TOTAL

TOTAL COST SHARE $1,174 $1,098 $4,327 $2,656 $9,255

PERCENT OF TOTAL 12.36 % 52.86 % 45.08 % 29.30 % 30.61 %

Target: All Facilitator Teams have plans to continue cooperation past August 2007.



Results: All of the Facilitator Teams have planned activities beyond the end of the KICCR program. In Bablak/Babljak, the Facilitator Team will continue to help the Library Steering Committee guide the development of the library. The Bablak/Babljak group also planned to work on generating support for infrastructure development projects from donors. The Lipjan/Lipjan team has planned to do the same. In Rahovec/Orahovac, the Agrokop association hopes to continue to expand its membership in the coming year. Its planned activities include participation in the wine festival, the development of a joint product and the development of a wider network of agricultural associations around Kosovo. Finally, the Viti/Vitina team will continue to advocate for the institutionalization of the Village Councils. CONCLUSION USAID’s investment in the KICCR program has yielded small but significant successes in improving cooperation between ethnic communities at the local level. The program’s local focus enabled the program to succeed in all four municipalities in which it operated, despite the difficult and obstructive political environment, which might have completely blocked a project with a higher profile. While the political environment in Kosovo grew increasingly polarized over the past year, and genuine dialogue between ethnic groups became more and more rare, participants in the KICCR program were quietly working with their neighbors of all ethnicities to address the sources of conflict in their communities and improve the quality of life for everyone. These participants should be commended for setting an excellent example of positive relationship-building towards a multiethnic future in Kosovo. Their efforts to live as good neighbors at the local level are essential building blocks of a sustainable peace in Kosovo. Partners’ approach to ethnic integration emphasizes broad participation, allowing marginalized groups as well as the majority to have a voice in decisions that affect their everyday quality of life. This is an important value in Kosovo, where significant portions of the population, including minority citizens, women and youth are marginalized and/or excluded from decision-making. It is a shared interest of all these groups to increase the inclusiveness and transparency of local democratic institutions. The KICCR methodology leveraged this shared interest to mobilize multiethnic participation in development projects, resulting in sustainable improvements in local governance and interethnic relations. Over only twelve months, the project contributed to economic development in Rahovec/ Orahovac, built a community library in Bablak/ Babljak, revitalized local democratic structures in Viti/ Vitina and improved the transparency of governance in Lipjan/ Lipljan. These projects were uniquely tailored to the needs of each community because it was the community members themselves who designed and facilitated the projects. The fact that local groups and municipalities created these small grant projects and have a sense of ownership of the results will ensure that the achievements of KICCR will not evaporate when the project ends, but will be carried forward and benefit the communities for many years to come. The sustainability of KICCR’s results is also visible in the increased professional capacity of the program’s community facilitators. Having been through training plus an intensive mentoring process as they applied their new skills, the multiethnic KICCR Facilitation Teams represent a new



and dynamic force within each of their municipalities for interethnic cooperation and participatory governance. Each of the Facilitation Teams has plans to continue working together for the good of their communities past the end of project. The KICCR methodology, an innovative combination of cooperative planning, advocacy and conflict resolution, has proven to be very effective in difficult circumstances. Partners for Democratic Change and Partners-Kosova recommend that key elements of this approach: local ownership, inclusiveness, following training with opportunities for application, and building local capacity, be adapted and used in future USAID projects.



APPENDIX A: SMALL GRANT APPLICATION INFORMATION Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Following the completion of the facilitated planning sessions, which will follow the period of community assessment, participants will be eligible to apply for small grants to implement community projects. One or two grant applications from each of the four target communities (Viti/ Vitina, Rahovec/ Orahovac, Lipjan/ Lipljan and the village of Bablak/ Babljak) will be accepted for consideration. Grants will be made for up to US $7,500 per community. The purpose of these small grants is to resolve local problems and bring real benefit to participating communities. Funding available to each community is modest. Therefore, participants must concentrate their efforts on designing programs that can be realistically achieved with limited funds. Projects should focus on building community support and capacity to address local problems. The development of coalitions and community groups, the organization of training programs, the design and implementation of collaborative community processes, etc. are programs that could meet these objectives. Applicants should be clear that the available funds are not intended to be used towards infrastructure rehabilitation projects such as the building of roads, schools or hospitals. No more than 60% of each grant (US$4500) may be used toward equipment (for example: computers, cameras, other office equipment) out of which not more than 30% of the whole grant amount (US$2250) on physical infrastructure (for example: roads, playground structures, building materials). Projects must demonstrate cross-sector community and municipality support by generating at least US$1000 in cash or in-kind contributions (e.g. materials, equipment, volunteer labor, meeting space) from the municipality, local businesses or other non-US government sources. This funding is intended to help communities take the first steps towards realizing larger goals. Projects should aim to be self-sustaining beyond the end date of the program. Communities may determine that a particular problem can only be addressed through a large scale development program. In such cases, projects may be designed so as to lay the ground work for leveraging additional support from international donors and/or Kosovar authorities. However, all programs must demonstrate how they will have a concrete impact independent of the receipt of additional funds. The following is an example of a project that fits the goals of this program:

Goal: Increase educational opportunities for youth



Program: Participants design a project targeted at organizing a facilitated public forum on educational needs in the district. The forum is used to identify particular needs as well as available resources for meeting these needs. Questions that might be addressed are, “how can we increase literacy rates in this region”, or “how can we keep children in school who are at risk of dropping out”. The forum could result in the formation of a multi-sectoral coalition of individuals and organizations who can leverage local resources and work to implement change. Information gathered and plans developed through this process might also be used to request additional government or international assistance where needed.

Projects targeting the following topical areas will be eligible for funding3:

• Access to Education • Community Safety and Security • Job Creation/ Economic Development • Ethnic Integration • Citizen (Community) Participation

To be accepted, proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Projects must demonstrate that they can realistically have a concrete impact in communities in five months.

• Projects must be designed to ameliorate a concrete community problem or issue identified during the planning sessions.

• Lead applicants must be legal entities, i.e. NGOs, Associations, schools, small businesses, etc. No grants will be given to individuals.

• Projects must be designed to address ethnic integration; and involve minorities, women and young people as participants and stakeholders.

• All applications must come as a cooperative effort of at least two or more Community Facilitators from each municipality.

• All applications must include a letter of commitment from the municipality explaining how the municipality was involved in planning the project, and how they intend to support the implementation of the project.

Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate:

• Qualitative and quantitative results that will improve the life of the community • Concrete results improving ethnic integration and all citizen’s access to social,

educational, and economic opportunities • Proposals that impact a broad cross-section of the community, including minorities, and

that affect at least 200 people. Application Process 3 This list is not comprehensive. If you wish to pursue a project in an area that is not listed and that is not ineligible for support, please consult with PK and PDC.



Following the completion of the first planning session in each municipality which will take place during February 2007, participants should begin cooperating on the design of a project. Groups should be prepared to present their ideas at the third planning session. At that time, participants will be asked to give each other feedback regarding prepared projects and will further develop their proposals. Following the completion of the third planning session, groups will have two weeks to prepare proposals and budgets according to the provided format. Budgets should include an itemized list of anticipated expenses. PK will be available to provide feedback and assistance throughout this process. No more than 10% (US$750) of each grant can be budgeted for administrative expenses (salaries, rent or utilities). US Law prohibits any portion of the grant from being used to supplement the salaries of civil servants or any government employees. When proposals have been received, PDC and PK will review the grant requests and decide on the distribution of funds. If PK and PDC jointly determine that modifications or changes are needed to a submitted proposal they may chose to work with the applicants to modify their proposal. If a proposal does not meet the grant guidelines, PK and PDC may reject the proposal. Once a project proposal is approved by PDC and PK, a sub-grant agreement will be signed between PDC and the grant recipient. Contract conditions and payment processes will be further elaborated in the sub-grant agreement. Reporting Process Following the end of the project period, grantees will be required to submit a detailed narrative report. The narrative report should detail how the approved program was carried out. It should evaluate all successes and failures, and where applicable should list steps still to be taken. Financial reports must be submitted monthly, and should detail how program funds were utilized. Financial reports must include receipts and invoices detailing expenditures. All receipts and accurate financial records of expenditures should be kept for this purpose. A follow-up conference at which trainees will have an opportunity to reflect upon what they have learned and share their experiences with other participants will be held following the conclusion of the projects. Time Frame (subject to minor changes) Grant Applications Due March 16, 2007 Final Date for Grant Decisions March 30, 2007 Project Start Date Upon Signing of the sub-grant agreement (April 07) Project End Date August 10, 2007 Financial and Narrative Reports Due

August 22, 2007

If you have any further questions or require technical assistance or support, please contact:

Nora Sahatciu Partners-Kosova Center for Conflict Management

Telephone: 038-543-350 Email: [email protected]


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